Cristiano Ronaldo to become third youngest footballer in Europe to reach 100 caps

When Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo picks up his 100th cap against Northern
Ireland on Tuesday he will reflect on a career which started in central
defence and was marked by early shyness before an explosion of attacking
flair made him one of football’s greatest players.

“It was on Aug 20, 2003, against Kazakhstan, that I put on our national shirt for the first time. It was one of the most memorable moments of my life and a path which I am proud of,” Ronaldo wrote on his Facebook page.

He came on as a substitute for Luis Figo in what was, in retrospect, a symbolic handover from one Portuguese hero to another.

Ronaldo, the future 2008 World Player of the Year, took 2001 world player Figo’s mantle and helped inspire Portugal to third place in Fifa’s world rankings even if a first major international trophy is still elusive as he struggles to shrug off accusations he goes missing in really big games.

At 27 years and 248 days, he will be one of the youngest European footballers to reach 100 caps behind Germany’s Lukas Podolski and Estonia’s Kristen Viikmae.

He is Portugal’s third most capped player of all time behind Figo on 127 and centre back Fernando Couto on 110.

Ronaldo’s first coach was Madeira primary school teacher Francisco Afonso. “He took his chances and always had the desire to learn and go further,” Afonso was quoted as saying by Portuguese daily O Jogo. “Curiously, he started playing as a centre back. But, because he wanted to organise everything his way, he eventually went up field and became a forward.”

“He was very young, 18, and he integrated very well in the Portugal squad. He wanted to show everything he had, he would not stop. So much so that the older guys would tell him to breathe a little. He’d get really tired because of his lack of experience.”

At Euro 2004, Ronaldo came agonisingly close to glory but Greece shocked the hosts in the final. Young Ronaldo was left in tears but Figo, captain at the time, said those events strengthened Ronaldo’s resolve.

“The 100th cap is a round number, behind which many sacrifices are hidden, many joys, and also the constant desire to always move forward,” Figo said.

Ronaldo will captain Portugal at home to Northern Ireland as they try to bounce back from Friday’s 1-0 away defeat to Group F leaders Russia.

The Portuguese are second in the group, three adrift of Russia on six points from three games, and in need of more match-winning magic from their leader.